The official debate: Should Contador have waited for Schleck?

[frizzlefry]

"I attacked before he had a problem with his chain and was a long way ahead when I heard what had happened," Contador said.

Complete BS.

 

[nia O'Malley]

Just because he said that doesn't mean he would have done it. As a matter of fact, he proved that he wouldn't have done it on stage 3. What a classy liar yeah.

Why you feel you need to sling mud constantly at AS to make AC look bigger I fail to understand.

You must be so very proud lol At least our contendors have the decency to expire on the bike rather than end up in nasty Grisham courtroom melodramas

and yes, I'm European and proud of it

Lmao

Again, put yourself in Alberto's shoes. Lets say you went back to talk to the DS or whatever reason you drifted back a little. The only guy in the race that can beat you attacks you BECAUSE you will not be able to respond quickly. Your reaction would be "that crafty Andy, why, that was brilliant!" or like me, would you think something like "You little FU*KER! Okay, if that is the way you want to play, then lets play that way."

Maybe I am just a sick, sick person. My guess is however, that the great majority of men, if honestly assessing the situation, would tend towards my response, but your results may vary.

You forget they are quite if not very friendly. Your reaction to that is not theirs, and never going to be

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Ah, f*ck it. Contador should have slapped Andy while flying by him today. Then laughed at his descending skills over vodka shots with Vino.

Then we'd really have a fight on the Tourmalet.

Nothing like skinny little climbers getting their chammies all bunched up.

 

[nicholaaaas]

I'd say that's a pretty dumb move at that point in the race...

AS was going back getting his own bottles yesterday... maybe Alberto should have attacked him then yesterday and this all would have been a moot point

 

[Biological Entity]

Maybe I am just a sick, sick person. My guess is however, that the great majority of men, if honestly assessing the situation, would tend towards my response, but your results may vary.

Your response was to call Schleck a pussy who made an unfair attack on AC.

No rational person has responses like that.

 

[auscyclefan94]

maybe his upcoming attacks will be done with a little more vigor than what I have seen so far in the tdf.

If he bones the TT all of this SHOULD be moot. But it won't be. The sissification of the world continues unabated.

He now won't get 1:30 on the tourmalet. Contador's reasoning is a load of BS.

 

[schnebit]

"I attacked before he had a problem with his chain and was a long way ahead when I heard what had happened," Contador said.

Complete BS.

Especially since he was behind Andy at the time...

 

[velosopher54]

Nope, he gets plenty of respect from all his fans, including me . He ****ed a lot of LA fanboys like you...but you guys don't count...cause you have never been his fan.

The other thing, AC races bicycles for a living and LA fanboys/frenchies like you don't sponsor him, so he couldn't care less....

I'm not a fan of LA at all, and I used to like AC and AS. Now I'm rooting for Andy as Bertie showed his lack of class today, by attacking the MJ in a time of 'crisis' and on the podium. The podium cr@p was shooting himself in the foot! an idiot move, imo.

 

[Anonymous]

Dont recall neither of them beeing in yellow at that particular time.. and i dont recall seeing a half of duzen riders in a mess.. i remember bunches!

About the episode
Alberto was going to crack.. he didnt have the legs.. it was clear.. andy attack was going to break him.. you can even see that first to react is vino.. then menchov and the others.. when the chain breaks.. Alberto was way back.. to catch Andy's wheel.. ok .. he had vino to help.. but vino would have to wait and lose also Andy's wheel..

I think that in the coming days, you will find that you are in error. I think Andy may be slightly better than AC on the climbs, but I don't think he will crack him, and he wasn't then either.

 

[The Hitch]

"I attacked before he had a problem with his chain and was a long way ahead when I heard what had happened," Contador said.

Complete BS.

i think Contador uses the radio wasnt working/ i didnt here it excuse a bit to often. I think when he realised what happened he panicked and comforted himself with the thought that he could just say that he didnt here.

I dont blame him, it was a very tough situation and with the fatigue and tension, i dont think i would have chosen any better.

This article suggests contador sometimes doesnt make the best decisions and i think it has a point.

http://cyclocosm.com/2010/07/if-all-you-have-is-a-hammer/

 

[Biological Entity]

Watched the video.

Alberto does his innocent 'butter wouldn't melt' act and eats some humble pie.

Well at least he apologised and admits he made a mistake. The apologists here should now come clean and agree with him.

 

[TahoeNL]

"where Andy took advantage of me" -Alberto in his own words from his "please let me explain video..." Seems to me that everyone who knows anything about racing knows the difference between the day on the cobbles and today. Here is a simple observation for Berto...

On the cobbles you where not on Andy's wheel (or even close to it) and this is racing on the cobbles. Today you saw with your own eyes the MJ with something wrong (he had no idea if was flat or dropped chain) and had your team radio telling you. Andy rode smart on the Spa stage. You took advantage of him today. Get a clue and spare us your pathetic PR ploy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdOJLuePexs

 

[Anonymous]

God bless Bobke for saying it like it is. Now, what about Jurgen vd Broecke. That is some surprise huh.

This issue has me in alliance with some I could not imagine agreeing with, and some that I almost always agree with...I like it! Must be a good topic...

 

[The Hitch]

WOW 1000 responces in about 6 hours.

I do make the most popular threads

 

[Tangled Tango]

Schleck drops a chain and the Spaniard attacks?!? We'll see how this pans out, no respect for the maillot jaune with a mechanical.

That is not what happened. AC was speeding up to AS. Looked behind him to his right (away from AS) exactly when the chain slipped. AC couldn't of seen or known anything at the moment of his attack. He sped past without looking at AS and was well ahead when first informed something had occurred.

 

[Biological Entity]

I think that in the coming days, you will find that you are in error. I think Andy may be slightly better than AC on the climbs, but I don't think he will crack him, and he wasn't then either.

Not now he won't. This is a confidence game and AC now has all the cards. One small attack from AC and Schleck is finished. This will put huge pressure on AS pyschological - as it did to Armstrong.

AS will also know he has to take a big risk and go for some ridiculously big attack to get back time, massively increasing the chances he will blow himself, doubling the pressure on himself still.

I predict a confident AC will attack and win the tour with ease.

That's why these moments are game changers.

Watch, listen and learn.

 

[JPbianchi]

Ac had the right to attack

I do not know what is all about Schleck first if he still does not know that when you stand up you do not switch the crankset. Well, this is his mistake, i also do not understand this fair-play this is the tour and maybe you are not aware that in the past such as charly gaul lost a Giro because he stopped top take a ****. Actually that was very common to attack when someone had a mechanical problem.
So will see if Andy will be capable of blowing the race tomorrow I would love him to do it, but AC is smarter than him, Also on this thread i even seen Menchov or Sanchez being criticized..

 

[Publicus]

I think it is absolutely hilarious that the folks are saying that because AC's statements doesn't square with what you saw on the video (he says attacking Andy, when I think he means counter-attacking/closing the gap; surely everyone agrees he was in full flight to catch Andy after he got the jump on him), but doesn't see anything with Andy's clearly distorted view of what happened:

When I launched my second attack, the chain got stuck and I had to get off the bike to put it back on. Then they attacked.

That didn't happen, but I believe Andy believes that's how it happened, simply because he was in the heat of battle. I was trying to make this point earlier, we are slowing down video, looking at freeze frames and trying to attribute that type of deliberation to professional athletes in full fight on the road.

And just as motivated as Andy is to kick AC's a$$, I believe AC is actually just as, if not more, motivated to prove that he wasn't intentionally trying to take advantage of Andy here. So it will likely be a push, yet again, in the mountains.

 

[AtletiSK]

Like it or not, at least it should keep the race interesting...

you are absolutely right, so far I have to say it has been the most boring TdF I can remember...

 

[Oldman]

I think that in the coming days, you will find that you are in error. I think Andy may be slightly better than AC on the climbs, but I don't think he will crack him, and he wasn't then either.

I didn't see it that way, either. Contador had Vino in position and it would be his job to respond first to set up a counter by Alberto. Being near brain-fried in that position I'd expect most riders react first and ask questions later. If I was Contador and fatigued from responding to multiple attacks I'd continue until I could settle in and then decide what's fair. I'm not putting my foot on the ground and count to 31 for the sake of a dropped chain.
Would I hammer with AS's other rivals to the finish...no. Would I sit on and hope they went fast...yes.

 

[Tangled Tango]

Karin schatje, Contador is spanish, but Sanchez is Basque. There is a huge difference!!

Samuel Sanchez is not Basque. He is the only rider on Euskadi that is not Basque. He is from Asturias, the same provence as Chechu and 100% Spanish.

 

[2wheels]

WOW 1000 responces in about 6 hours.

I do make the most popular threads

I like your threads too Hitch. . . but there's a remote chance that people might have picked up on this incident all on their own.

 

[colnago1978]

El bowandarow

Even Armstrong waited for Ullrich after a crash,Contador shoud've waited too!
I remamber Contador looking back and when he saw andy is in trouble ,started pedaling like crazy.
I'm a rider too and i know you can see one's caracter on a hard ride.Aguess we all know what El ****ollero is like now!!!

 

[cody_57]

Fff

Funny, futile and the other F!

Most of these discussions that go on for days are divided into two groups: one being as logical as possible and the other being completely emotional, e.g. Lance never tested positive vs. look at all the 'evidence' pointing to the opposite.

This one has both sides coming at it emotionally. This is going nowhere fast.

 

[Biological Entity]

I think it is absolutely hilarious that the folks are saying that because AC's statements doesn't square with what you saw on the video (he says attacking Andy, when I think he means counter-attacking/closing the gap; surely everyone agrees he was in full flight to catch Andy after he got the jump on him), but doesn't see anything with Andy's clearly distorted view of what happened:

But Contador went to the front of the group and started dancing on the peddles. AS may have started the move, but AC clearly set about making sure he put some time in, whilst Vino appeared to think about waiting.

Contador is a very competitive guy. Good knows what type of juice he decided to take last year just to see off the potential threat of Armstrong. He REALLY wants to win.

He knew he would just be able to give a sweet little video apologising and we would all say it was an honest mistake and move on....but he still has the time.